As the Marvel Cinematic Universe takes over the real universe, we decided to take a look at some aspects of the Marvel World you may not be familiar with. How many of these facts did you know?
1. When Robert Downey Jr. was in high school, he was once suspended for tearing a classmate's comic book to pieces and calling him a "nerd." The comic book? The Invincible Iron Man.
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2. Famous loner Wolverine has actually been on more super teams than any other Marvel character.
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3. It was revealed in the 1980s that Peter Parker, Spider-Man's secret identity, grew up at 20 Ingram Street in Forest Hills, Queens.
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That address, in real life, has been owned by an actual Parker family since 1974.
4. Vin Diesel recorded all his "I am Groot" lines over 1,000 times in multiple languages in order for his voice to fit the role around the world.
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He said "I am groot" in Russian, Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, German, and French, all while wearing stilts to get a feel for the character's height.
5. Iron Man's suit is made up of roughly 450 separate pieces.
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6. Natalia Romanova, also known as Black Widow, is still a super hottie thanks to a variation of the super-soldier serum.
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She's actually 70 years old though. Da-yum.
7. Chris Evans turned down the role of Captain America three times before the producers eventually convinced him to accept it.
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8. Mark Ruffalo had to leave to the premiere of The Avengers early because his four-year-old daughter was so terrified of her father's onscreen transformation into the Hulk. We don't blame her!
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9. For Thor: The Dark World, there were over 30 Mjölnirs (Thor's hammer) created.
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10. Michael Jackson tried to buy Marvel Comics in the early 90s. He was planning to produce and star in a Spider-Man movie that never happened. Wouldn't that be crazy?
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11. Deadpool originated as a spoof of DC Comic's Deathstroke. That's why Deadpool's real name, Wade Wilson, is so similar to Deathstroke's, Slade Wilson.
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12. A body double was used for Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger for the scenes where he's skinny.
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Digital technology was utilized in order to erase Evans' body in order to create the allusion of a tiny, tiny version of the actor.
13. Red Skull, Captain America's nemesis, was created after Joe Simon noticed the cherry on his ice cream sundae resembled a skull. Such delicious beginnings for such an evil guy, no?
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14. The chemicals from the blue make-up used to transform Rebecca Romijn into Mystique caused her to yak blue vomit all over Hugh Jackman after taking a tequila shot.
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The celebrations on the final day of the first film were a little tainted by it.
15. In 1987, Spider-Man married Mary Jane. To coincide with the nuptials, Marvel held a press event featuring live-action versions of the characters getting married at Shea Stadium.
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16. Cyclops' eyes function as a portal to another dimension that generates the energy used for his optic blasts. He's also immune to his powers, which is why he doesn't blast his own eyelids off.
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17. Marvel evaded a law raising taxes on toys based on humans by claiming the X-Men toys were mutants, not humans. Clever, clever!
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18. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Falcon's flight gear has a Stark Industries logo on it.
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19. The Punisher was originally created as an adversary for Spider-Man before getting his own standalone comic in 1986.
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20. Believe it or not, the richest superhero is not the incredibly wealthy Tony Stark (Iron Man); it's actually Black Panther. He has 5 times Stark's fortune, $500 billion.
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21. When Stan Lee initially pitched Spider-Man, his publishers thought it would fail because nobody wants to see a teenage hero (and, obvi nobody likes spiders).
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The first issue quickly became one of Marvel's highest-selling comics.
22. Captain America is one of the few people able to use Iron Man's armor, Thor's hammer, and only one of two foreigners entrusted with the Black Panther's technology. No wonder everyone loves Captain America so much!
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23. Wolverine can literally sense when someone's lying. He can also super easily identify shape-shifters.
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24. Captain America's shield can only be damaged on a molecular level because it's made of an adamantium/vibranium alloy.
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25. For everyone heartbroken when Gwen Stacy died in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, prepare for more heartbreak.
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There was debate over whether she met her end at the hands of the Green Goblin throwing her off the bridge or if it was Spider-Man's fault. It was eventually revealed that Spidey's web stopped her so suddenly that she was killed by a whiplash effect. :(
26. The Incredible Hulk was not originally the green giant we've come to know and love. He started out grey, but due to ink problems in printing, we have our green guy.
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27. Venom was originally written as a female character.
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Writer David Michelle was forced by his editor to alter the character's gender because "readers wouldn't see the woman as a physical threat" to Spidey. Rude.
28. Robert Downey Jr. gave a seven-year-old boy born with a partially developed arm a prosthetic modeled after his character's super-powered gauntlets.
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This, along with the incredibly generous and kind behavior of Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Andrew Garfield, et al, help to make these Marvel actors real life superheroes. And for that, we love them.
h/t @MarvelousFacts

As America's Next Top Model's 21st cycle unfolds, we've decided to take a look at previous seasons to see how often Tyra and her ever-changing panel of judges choose the right model. As anyone who has watched the show throughout the years (and the marathons every time they're on TV) knows, the model you spend all season rooting for rarely wins, no matter how much she deserves to.
Cycle 1
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Who Won: Adrianne Curry
Should Have Won: Adrianne Curry
If only Tyra's first season were a sign of things to come. She picked it right. Adrianne had that special blend of being cool, a good model, and reality TV perfection (which is essential for a first season). She went on to become a "star" on Vh1's CelebReality, and we continued to grow up watching the ups and downs of her relationship with a Brady. That sort of contribution to our adolescence is invaluable.
Cycle 2
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Who Won: Yoanna House
Should Have Won: Mercedes Scelba-Shorte
Mercedes was perfect! She was such a great model, she had the cutest personality, and she was owning the competition while suffering with Lupus. Her final photo and her Billie Holiday photo are some of our favorite in ANTM history.
Cycle 3
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Who Won: Eva Pigford
Should Have Won: Toccara Jones, Yaya DaCosta
Eva was okay, but we loved Toccara. She left too soon, and we began to root for Eva. Looking back on this cycle now though, it's hard not to feel like Yaya is sort of like ANTM's Jennifer Hudson -- she lost, but has the best career possibly out of any of the girls.
Cycle 4
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Who Won: Naima Mora
Should Have Won: Kahlen Rondot
This is a no brainer. Kahlen was perfect. Naima was a good model, okay, sure. But she was quiet and enigmatic. Kahlen was shy, but adorable and relatable. And, if we're being frank, a far superior model.
Cycle 5
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Who Won: Nicole Linklater
Should Have Won: Bre Scullark (or Nik Pace)
We loved Bre. We still love Bre. She will always be one of our favorites. We rooted for Nik after Bre was eliminated, but Tyra didn't seem to care and picked the annoying and whiny Nicole.
Cycle 6
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Who Won: Danielle (Dani) Evans
Should Have Won: Joanie Dodds
This makes us uncomfortable to say, because we really like both girls here. This was one of the rare instances where we would have been happy regardless of who won. For some reason, we always remember this as the cycle that Joanie won though. Clearly she left the stronger impression (although we'll never forget Dani's photo on top of the elephant, while she was sick).
Cycle 7
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Who Won: CariDee English
Should Have Won: CariDee English
We felt really bad when Melrose lost because she was consistently good. She tried so hard to be perfect. Sure, she wasn't the most likable, but she was undeniably a good model. But CariDee had the whole package. She was likable and could model. We would have been happy if one of the twins won too though (just saying...).
Cycle 8
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Who Won: Jaslene Gonzalez
Should Have Won: Renee Alway
We were rooting for Renee from the very beginning. When she came in third place, we obviously started supporting Jaslene just to prevent the bizarre Natasha from winning. Deep down though, we still feel wronged by Renee's elimination.
Cycle 9
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Who Won: Saleisha Stowers
Should Have Won: Jenah Doucette
We never liked Saleisha. She kind of looked like Rihanna if Rihanna were on Disney. We were never into it. Chantal similarly had sanitized feel to her. Jenah shined as the only normal, likable girl in the cycle. She was a great model too!
Cycle 10
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Who Won: Whitney Thompson
Should Have Won: Anya Kop
This is one that outrages us still. Whitney was unlikable and even the judges thought so for most of the season. She just happened to get farther than any other plus-sized model, so they let her win. Everybody knows that Anya ran that cycle as if she were already a professional. Her photo shoot with Nigel? Her Sprite campaign? And don't even get us started on the injustice of eliminating Tiffani Thiessen-lookalike Katarzyna. How did they pick Whitney?
Cycle 11
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Who Won: McKey Sullivan
Should Have Won: McKey Sullivan
Girl was flawless. She was tall, stunning, poised, and had a lovely personality. Honorable mention to Analeigh Tipton though for doing her thing and having a great career.
Cycle 12
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Who Won: Teyona Anderson
Should Have Won: Allison Harvard
Allison. Our favorite contestant in the history of ANTM. This one hurts. We're not quite ready to talk about it.
Cycle 13
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Who Won: Nicole Fox
Should Have Won: Nicole Fox
We loved Nicole and we loved runner-up Laura Kirkpatrick. Tyra didn't have the chance to mess this cycle up.
Cycle 14
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Who Won: Krista White
Should Have Won: Raina Hein
Raina has been working more than anyone else from this cycle -- we've been seeing her pop up on commercials, and a working model is a successful one. Overall, we didn't really like this cycle.
Cycle 15
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Who Won: Ann Ward
Should Have Won: Kayla Ferrel
First of all, Ann's runway walk was not good. Chelsey and Jane were both good models, but there was something about Kayla that we were consistently drawn to. She somehow looked like a classic beauty, yet edgy and modern. She was fieeeeerce.
Cycle 16
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Who Won: Brittani Kline
Should Have Won: Hannah Jones
Were we the only ones who didn't hate Alexandria? We would have been happy if she won, but instead we were left with Brittani. She was a fine model, but on a personal level, we just stopped liking her after that meltdown in panel. Hannah also reminded us a lot of Analeigh from cycle 12, so we had a soft spot for her.
Cycle 17
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Who Won: Lisa D'Amato
Should Have Won: Allison Harvard
TWICE? REALLY? Allison, who broke our hearts when she was runner-up in cycle 12, admits that it sucks to be runner-up twice. She should have won. Twice. She's the best. We'll never be ready to talk about this.
Cycle 18
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Who Won: Sophie Sumner
Should Have Won: ...Annaliese Dayes? ...Laura LaFrate? Maybe Sophie?
This is one of those cycles that had three great girls at the end. At one point or another, we rooted for all of them to win. We're happy Sophie won because she was a cutie, but we loved Annaliese way more throughout the competition. She was like a Spice Girl and a model all in one.
Cycle 19
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Who Won: Laura James
Should Have Won: Leila Goldkuhl
Laura is a fantastic model -- let's just get that out of the way up front. Leila was eliminated, because Tyra rarely makes good decisions, and brought back by the fans who loved her. Clearly she was a fan-favorite and she should have won. Leila was definitely better than runner-up Kiara.
Cycle 20
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Who Won: Jourdan Miller
Should Have Won: Renee Bhagwandeen
Our friend texted within the first episode of ANTM 2.0 saying she couldn't stand the girl who was married and divorced at 18. And she never really made us like her more. On the other hand, from the moment Renee was shown in the casting episode, she had our vote. We were gung-ho from the get-go. Sure, Cory and Marvin were fantastic, but personally we're still rooting for the girls.
Will Tyra make the right choice in Cycle 21?

The Weinstein Company
Sundance is long gone, Cannes sailed away months ago, and both Tribeca and the Los Angeles Film Festivals have cleared away until next year. But when one major film festival ends, another starts putting its lineup together, and this time, it's Canada's time to shine. The Toronto International Film Festival, which will run from September 4 until the 14, has unveiled the list of titles they'll be premiering this year, and it's packed with under-the-radar indies, highly anticipated returns from accliamed directors, and of course, several likely awards contenders. But with nearly 60 films all making their debut in Toronto this fall, it can be hard to pick out the good from the bad and the exciting from the ones you've probably seen before. In an attempt to simplify the decision-making process for you, we've highlighted some of the most exciting films to hit north of the border this fall.
The Imitation Game Who’s Involved: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kiera Knightley, Matthew Goode and Charles Dance star What It’s About: The British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing, who helped the Allies win WWII by cracking German codes, and was then prosecuted by the government for being homosexual. Thoughts: Finally, a cast good enough to convince you that math is interesting for two hours.
The Last Five Years Who’s Involved: Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan What It’s About: A musical that tells the story of a married couple’s five-year relationship – his perspective runs from the day they met to when it all fell apart, and hers from the end back to the beginning. Thoughts: The perfect example as to why you should pay attention when your theater nerd friend tries plays you cast recordings.
Foxcatcher Who’s Involved: Bennett Miller directs; Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, and Mark Ruffalo starWhat It’s About: Based on a true story, it follows two championship wrestler brothers and the tragic consequences that they face after getting involved with an eccentric millionaire coach. Thoughts: We really are going to have to come up with the Tatum equivalent of “McConaissance” sometime soon.
A Little ChaosWho’s Involved: Alan Rickman directs; Kate Winslet, Stanley Tucci and Rickman star What It’s About: A landscape gardener finds herself struggling with the politics of Louis XIV’s court and her own demons after she’s hired to work at the Garden of Versailles. Thoughts: You had us at “Rickman.”
The Riot Club Who’s Involved: Lone Scherfig directs; Sam Claflin, Max Irons, Natalie Dormer and Jessica Brown-Findlay star What It’s About: A privileged young man is inducted into the “Riot’s Club,” an exclusive, wild group of young men full of debauchery and bad behavior, during his first year at Oxford. Thoughts: Look! It’s that guy from that thing! And that girl, from that other thing! I like them. They should be in more things.
Before We Go Who’s Involved: Chris Evans directs; Evans and Alice Eve star What It’s About: Two strangers bond over the course of one night in Manhattan, and the conflicts in their lives allow them to explore more about each other and themselves. Thoughts: Captain America is directing movies now!
Warner Bros. Pictures
This Is Where I Leave You Who’s Involved: Shawn Levy directs; Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Adam Driver, Connie Britton and Jane Fonda star What It’s About: Four adult siblings return to their childhood home after their father dies. Dysfunction and hijinks ensue. Thoughts: Does Driver say “outer space” in this? Can we re-write the script so that he does?
Men, Women and Children Who’s Involved: Jason Reitman directs; Jennifer Garner, Adam Sandler and Judy Greer star What It’s About: A group of parents and children navigate the way the Internet has changed their relationships and lives. Thoughts: Well, it’s got be better than Labor Day, right?
Miss Julie Who’s Involved: Liv Ullman directs; Jessica Chastain and Colin Farrell star What It’s About: Set over the course of one night in the 1880s, an aristocratic woman and her father’s valet struggle for power. Thoughts: Should we also be thinking about the “Farrellissance?”
Nightcrawler Who’s Involved: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, and Bill Paxton star What It’s About: An ambitious journalist becomes involved with the world of LA nighttime journalism, and the line between spectator and perpetrator becomes blurred. Thoughts: Oh, so this isn’t an X-Men solo film? That’s slightly disappointing.
Rosewater Who’s Involved: Jon Stewart directs; Gael Garcia Bernal stars What It’s About: The true story of Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, who appeared on The Daily Show before being imprisoned for five months by the Iranian government. Thoughts: This is the movie that gave us Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and for that we shall always be grateful.
The Theory of Everything Who’s Involved: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Emily Watson, and David Thewlis star What It’s About: The life and relationship of world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife Jane Wilde from their first meeting at Cambridge through Hawking’s diagnosis through their numerous accomplishments. Thoughts: Oscar Season 2014: Alan Turing vs. Stephen Hawking in The Battle of the British Genius Biopics.
Whiplash Who’s Involved: Damien Chazelle directs; Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons star What It’s About: An ambitious jazz drummer who enrolls at a prestigious music conservatory, but must endure the brutal, intense tutelage of a brilliant, drill sergeant-like teacher in order to achieve greatness. Thoughts: Look, we’ll stop talking about this one once it finally comes out, and not a moment sooner, okay?
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Walt Disney Co. via Everett Collection
Six years and nine movies in, Marvel has already payed tribute to several film genres with its cinematic universe. We've seen fish-out-of-water stories, political thrillers, pulpy throwbacks, and even a corporate super-villainy grace our screens, but there's still loads of genres that have yet to receive the superhero treatment. We've decided to take a look at the possible genres that Marvel's next batch of standalone superhero films could hone in on.
Iron Man 4Addiction drama
Iron Man 2 saw Tony Stark dip a toe in the well of self-destruction, but what if the character went all the way down the rabbit hole in his next outing? The comic book version of Iron Man has endured a long suffering battle with alcohol, and it would be great to see a superhero film realistically delve into the demons of addiction. We don't necessarily want Requiem for a Dream: Iron Man Edition or anything, but a comic book film with a frank arc about addiction could take Marvel's storytelling to the next level. Dream director: Danny Boyle.
HawkeyeIndie drama
Let’s be real. Hawkeye probably doesn’t get the call to "Assemble!" all that often. When Galactus comes tearing through the Milky Way, the first thought pinging through the minds of the more supernaturally-endowed members of the Avengers probably isn’t, "Hey let’s call that guy with the arrows!" A everpresent theme in the recent Hawkeye comics is that Cliff Barton also feels inadequate when standing shoulder to shoulder with his Avengers cohorts. So let’s take that stew of unfulfillment and inadequacy brewing inside the purple archer and refocus it into a genre where those feeling thrive: the indie drama. Think Frances Ha with terrorists, or Greenberg with ninjas. Honestly, when you think about it, Hawkeye is basically Hannah Horvath: a young adult living in Brooklyn, only first coming to realize that he is not as great as he's always thought. Dream director: Rian Johnson
Thor 3 Survivor's tale
Survival films had a monster 2013, with yarns like Gravity and All is Lost becoming critical and commercial successes. What if the next Thor standalone hopped on this trend before it flickered out. Picture this: after a night of a few too many jars of mead, Thor accidentally bifrosts himself into a uncharted section of the nine realms. With no way home, Thor has to survive an alien wilderness full of terrifying hell-beasts, and a caustic elements. It would be the ultimate story of man against nature, or more accurately, demi-god against nature. The best part would be that they couldn't shoehorn a Jane Foster romantic sub-plot anywhere. Dream director: Joe Carnahan
Black WidowCold War thriller
Countless vials of ink have been used up in order to tell the origin of Black Widow in comic books, but nary a drop of celluloid has been set toward the past of Black Widow's big screen counterpart. Doing an '80s period piece about the Soviet spy-turned-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's ascension to goodness could be an awesome way to give the character a proper back story. Look at all the good going back to the '60s did for the X-men franchise with X-Men: First Class. Doing a quieter espionage film featuring Natasha Romanov defecting from the hemorrhaging Soviet Union would do much to diversify Marvel's portfolio and give cinema goers a break from rampant city destruction which is quickly becoming an overused play in Marvel's cinematic handbook. Dream Director: Joe Wright
The Incredible Hulk 2Gladiator/prison break film
The Hulk is a tricky character to script an entire film around, and there's a reason why Bruce Banner in The Avengers as a part of an ensemble, whereas he mostly floundered in his standalone outings. For a Hulk movie, it would be cool if Marvel took some inspiration from the Planet Hulk comic book storyline and told a story where aliens captured the Hulk and made him fight in gladiatorial style combat against the universe's most destructive entities. For one thing, it would give the Hulk an otherworldly challenge unlike anything he would face on Earth, but it would also give Marvel a chance to bridge their mainline cinematic universe with their more cosmic offerings. Maybe someone like Gamora from the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy could make an appearance? The film could then end with an extended prison break sequence as the Hulk smashes his way back home again. Dream Director: Ridley Scott
Captain America 3Conspiracy thriller/occult romp
Captain America: The First Avenger did the whole Spielberg thing already, but if the Captain America comics has taught us anything, it's that you can't keep a good Nazi down. The Red Skull has always been permanent fixture in Captain America's long running mythos, and it would seem like a such a sin if he didn't rear his ugly mug in at least one adventure set in the modern world. After Cap is finished with the political thrills of The Winter Soldier, why not embrace the pulp once more with a country-spanning adventure, full of secrets being uncovered, ancient organizations being foiled, and Nazis being clanged in the head with shields? Dream director: Brad Bird
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DreamWorks
For the bulk of every Rocky and Bullwinkle episode, moose and squirrel would engage in high concept escapades that satirized geopolitics, contemporary cinema, and the very fabrics of the human condition. With all of that to work with, there's no excuse for why the pair and their Soviet nemeses haven't gotten a decent movie adaptation. But the ingenious Mr. Peabody and his faithful boy Sherman are another story, intercut between Rocky and Bullwinkle segments to teach kids brief history lessons and toss in a nearly lethal dose of puns. Their stories and relationship were much simpler, which means that bringing their shtick to the big screen would entail a lot more invention — always risky when you're dealing with precious material.
For the most part, Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman handles the regeneration of its heroes aptly, allowing for emotionally substance in their unique father-son relationship and all the difficulties inherent therein. The story is no subtle metaphor for the difficulties surrounding gay adoption, with society decreeing that a dog, no matter how hyper-intelligent, cannot be a suitable father. The central plot has Peabody hosting a party for a disapproving child services agent and the parents of a young girl with whom 7-year-old Sherman had a schoolyard spat, all in order to prove himself a suitable dad. Of course, the WABAC comes into play when the tots take it for a spin, forcing Peabody to rush to their rescue.
Getting down to personals, we also see the left brain-heavy Peabody struggle with being father Sherman deserves. The bulk of the emotional marks are hit as we learn just how much Peabody cares for Sherman, and just how hard it has been to accept that his only family is growing up and changing.
DreamWorks
But more successful than the new is the film's handling of the old — the material that Peabody and Sherman purists will adore. They travel back in time via the WABAC Machine to Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, and the Trojan War, and 18th Century France, explaining the cultural backdrop and historical significance of the settings and characters they happen upon, all with that irreverent (but no longer racist) flare that the old cartoons enjoyed. And oh... the puns.
Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman is a f**king treasure trove of some of the most amazingly bad puns in recent cinema. This effort alone will leave you in awe.
The film does unravel in its final act, bringing the science-fiction of time travel a little too close to the forefront and dropping the ball on a good deal of its emotional groundwork. What seemed to be substantial building blocks do not pay off in the way we might, as scholars of animated family cinema, have anticipated, leaving the movie with an unfinished feeling.
But all in all, it's a bright, compassionate, reasonably educational, and occasionally funny if not altogether worthy tribute to an old favorite. And since we don't have our own WABAC machine to return to a time of regularly scheduled Peabody and Sherman cartoons, this will do okay for now.
If nothing else, it's worth your time for the puns.
3/5
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Paramount via Everett Collection
Even though there's still three months to go before Captain America: The Winter Soldier will be released in theaters, Marvel is reportedly already working on a third installment of the franchise. Though it was only a matter of time before another sequel was announced - like the rest of Marvel's recent films, The Winter Solider is expected to be a box office smash — the studio has decided to move more quickly than usual in an attempt to lock down the film's directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, for the third film. Though everything is still in the early planning stages, footage from the film has impressed both Marvel and test audiences, which propelled the studio into moving forward with the new project.
The biggest doubt as of right now seems to be whether or not The Winter Solider will actually live up to its hype, but it seems highly likely that the film will continue the studio's long line of successes. Cap is one of Marvel's most beloved characters, and Chris Evans' performance in The Avengers has helped win over any moviegoers who may not have enjoyed the first Captain America film. That kind of pedigree alone means that there should be no problems attracting an audience for the sequel, but it will be helped by forcing Cap to deal head-on with the way that society has changed in the 70 years that he was frozen. Introducing the emotional and psychological ramifications that come with the Avengers' jobs and histories received rave reviews from both critics and fans in Iron Man 3, and continuing that thread in The Winter Soldier will help to not only add depth and substance to the action sequences, but also to help make the character and his philosophy more timely.
In addition, the film will see the return of plenty of familiar faces, including Black Widow, Nick Fury and Bucky Barnes, and since all three are fan favorites despite not having any solo films, that will certainly help attract a larger audience. There will also be a new love interest, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sharon Carter, and a new sidekick for Cap, Stan Wilson, a.k.a. Falcon. The presence of these new characters, coupled with the emotional hurdles that Cap will have to face, open up new storyline possibilities for the character, both in the larger Marvel universe and, perhaps more importantly, in the third Captain America installment.
Though he joined the team for a while in the comic books, the Avengers lineup is already pretty crowded, so it's hard to see anyone adding Falcon into any of the upcoming Avengers films, other than in a supporting role. Therefore, the third Captain America film would be the ideal place to expand the character's screentime and explore his character further. It's already been revealed that he and Cap will bond over their shared history in the military and sense of duty, and it would be great to see that backstory fleshed out in a way that helps establish Falcon as his own, distinct character. The films have proven relatively adept at creating three-dimensional characters despite a lack of screentime, and often find ways to discuss and explore Natasha and Black Widow's past despite her only playing a supporting role in other hero's films. In the comics, Falcon had an important presence as Cap's partner, and it would be nice to see the films do justice to his importance, even if they can only do it through the Captain America films.
Similarly, The Winter Soldier seems set to forge a bond between Black Widow and Cap, both platonically and romantically, which could cause a problem with both Hawkeye and Sharon Carter. The Avengers seemed to establish some romantic tension between Black Widow and Hawkeye, and so having her and Cap become involved could either be a sign of Hawkeye's diminishing importance in the Avengers lineup, or it could set up a conflict amongst teammates, as Cap doesn't seem the type to be comfortable with overstepping those kinds of personal boundaries. Meanwhile, Sharon Carter plays a significant role in the comics, and she and Cap have a long, if somewhat tumultuous, relationship. It seems like Sharon will be appearing in several films within the universe, which means that the studio might be establishing a love triangle. It's a plot development that they've tried before, most notably in the two Thor films with Thor, Lady Sif and Jane, but it has never been particularly well received by audiences. These two women are well-written, smart, and interesting characters in their own right, so the last thing we would want for either one of them would be to see the third Captain America film taken over by a love triangle that pits them against one another. It not only takes away from what would probably be an exciting, compelling storyline, but it would negatively impact both characters.
The other major character introduction that will be occurring in The Winter Soldier is Bucky Barnes, Cap's best friend who has been brainwashed into a Soviet assassin. Although the main villain will be played by Robert Redford, the Winter Soldier will likely be a recurring villain, like Loki, and appear in multiple films throughout the universe. Both the bad guys in Cap's films are strongly to their time period and the political climate of the day, which makes it impossible for them to flit across the various planets and times that make up the Marvel universe. Bucky, however, is bot bound by those same laws, and like Loki, can move through those different universes and films in a way that seems to hint at the possibility of him being the main villain of either an Avengers film or the third Captain America. Setting him up to be the villain of the third film would be a good idea, as it forces Cap to confront the idea of fighting against his best friend, rather than beside him, which, again, helps give the film some depth. The implications and consequences of a character that has been brainwashed into evil are too interesting to be brushed off at the end of the film, and so we'd love to see the Winter Soldier be the big bad of the third film, if only to learn more about what Bucky has gone through.
The down side to news of the third film is that Marvel won't be giving a solo film to any of the other major characters, but Cap's position as one of the leaders of the Avengers allows them to incorporate those characters into his storylines, and give them more screen time. It would be really interesting to see Hawkeye or the Hulk team up with Cap on his next mission, instead of simply having Black Widow play the supporting role in every film, especially since neither character got to interact with him much in The Avengers. The fact that Marvel is expanding Cap's universe and history so much makes bringing in outside characters difficult, but since anything the Avengers do will affect them as well, it seems like it would be worth the effort.
Of course, since nothing has been officially confirmed by Marvel as of yet, there's still a chance that all of this can change, and characters like Falcon and Bucky could end up being significantly less important or interesting than we thought. But since there's nothing to do until Captain America: The Winter Soldier is released on April 4, there's no harm in trying to guess what the studio has up its sleeve.
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Tribeca Film via Everett Collection
For a film that involves a love triangle, mental illness, a Bohemian colony of free-spirits, an impending war and several important historical figures, the most exciting elements of Summer in February are the stunning shots of the English country and Cornish seaside. The rest of the film never quite lives up to the crashing waves and sun-dappled meadows that are used to bookend the scenes, as the entertaining opening never manages to coalesce into a story that lives up the the cinematography, let alone the lives of the people that inspired it.
Set in an Edwardian artist’s colony in Cornwall, Summer in February tells the story of A.J. Munnings (Dominic Cooper), who went on to become one of the most famous painters of his day and head of the Royal Academy of Art, his best friend, estate agent and part-time soldier Gilbert Evans (Dan Stevens), and the woman whom they both loved, aspiring artist Florence Carter-Wood (Emily Browning). Her marriage to Munnings was an extremely unhappy one, and she attempted suicide on their honeymoon, before killing herself in 1914. According to his journals, Gilbert and Florence were madly in love, although her marriage and his service in the army kept them apart.
When the film begins, Munnings is the center of attention in the Lamorna Artist's Colony, dramatically reciting poetry at parties and charming his way out of his bar tab while everyone around him proclaims him to be a genius. When he’s not drinking or painting, he’s riding horses with Gilbert, who has the relatively thankless task of keeping this group of Bohemians in line. Their idyllic existence is disrupted by the arrival of Florence, who has run away from her overbearing father and the fiancé he had picked out for her in order to become a painter.
Stevens and Browning both start the film solidly, with enough chemistry between them to make their infatuation interesting. He manages to give Gilbert enough dependable charm to win over both Florence and the audience, and she presents Florence as someone with enough spunk and self-possession to go after what she wants. Browning’s scenes with Munnings are equally entertaining in the first third of the film, as she can clearly see straight through all of his bravado and he is intrigued by her and how difficult she is to impress. Unfortunately, while the basis of the love triangle is well-established and entertaining, it takes a sudden turn into nothing with a surprise proposal from Munnings.
Neither the film nor Browning ever make it clear why Florence accepts his proposal, especially when they have both taken great pains to establish that she doesn’t care much for him. But once she does, the films stalls, and both Stevens and Browning spend the rest of the film doing little more than staring moodily and longingly at the people around them. The real-life Florence was plagued by depression and mental instability, but neither the film nor Browning’s performance ever manage to do more than give the subtlest hint at that darkness. On a few occasions, Browning does manage to portray a genuine anguish, but rather than producing any sympathy from the audience, it simply conjures up images of a different film, one that focused more on Florence, and the difficulties of being a woman with a mental illness at a time when both were ignored or misunderstood.
Stevens is fine, and Gilbert starts out with the same kind of good-guy appeal the won the heart of Mary Crawley and Downton Abbey fans the world over. However, once the film stalls, so does his performance, and he quickly drops everything that made the character attractive or interesting in favor of longing looks and long stretches of inactivity. He does portray a convincing amount of adoration for Florence, although that's about the only real emotion that Gilbert expresses for the vast majority of the film, and even during his love scene, he never manages to give him any amount of passion.
Cooper does his best with what he’s given, and tries his hardest to imbue the film with some substance and drama. His Munnings is by turns charming, brash, and brooding, the kind of person who has been told all of their life that they are special, and believes it. He even manages to give the character some depth, and even though he and Browning have very little chemistry, he manages to convey a genuine affection for her. It’s a shame that Munnings becomes such a deeply unlikable character, because Cooper is the only thing giving Summer in February a jolt of life – even if it comes via bursts of thinly-explained hostility. It's hard to watch just how hard he's working to connect with his co-stars and add some excitement to a lifeless script and not wish that he had a better film to show off his talents in.
Unfortunately, by the time Florence and Gilbert are finally spurred into activity, the film has dragged on for so long that you’re no longer invested in the characters, their pain, or their love story, even if you want to be. Which is the real disappointment of Summer in February; underneath the stalled plot and the relatively one-note acting, there are glimmers of a fascinating and compelling story that’s never allowed to come to the forefront.
2/5
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Iconic jazz guitarist Jim Hall has died, six days after his 83rd birthday. The revered musician passed away in his sleep at his New York home on Tuesday (10Dec13) after a brief illness, according to Jane Hall, his wife of 48 years.
The Big Apple native began performing professionally as a teenager while living in Ohio, where he studied piano, bass and theory at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
He moved to Los Angeles during the mid-1950s and joined bandleader Chico Hamilton's quintet, before leaving to work in the Jimmy Giuffre Three.
Hall collaborated with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and saxophonists Paul Desmond and Sonny Rollins, while he was also known for his recordings with pianist Bill Evans and bassist Ron Carter, mellow music which heavily influenced young proteges Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell.
He received a slew of top accolades throughout his 60-year career, including the New York Jazz Critics Award for Best Jazz Composer/Arranger in 1997, and he became the first modern jazz guitarist to be presented with America's highest jazz honour, the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master title, in 2004.